+44 (0)161 228 2244

Child Sex Offence Lawyers

Our Child Sexual Offence Solicitors defend people facing allegations involving children, from the first police approach through to trial. We establish exactly what is alleged, advise you before any police interview and examine the evidence needed to prepare your defence.

An investigation can affect your family life and employment before any charging decision is made. Bail conditions may restrict contact with children or prevent you from returning home. We understand the pressure this creates and provide clear, confidential advice about what those restrictions mean and how we can address them.

The defence depends on the specific allegation, the ages of those involved and the evidence supporting each account. We identify the legal issues that matter to your case and take practical steps to protect your position from the outset.

At Draycott Browne, we have decades of experience defending people accused of serious criminal offences and are recognised by Chambers UK for Crime in the North West. Our team includes solicitors accredited under the Law Society’s Criminal Litigation Accreditation scheme, reflecting their specialist knowledge and professional standards in criminal defence.

Managing Director Shaun Draycott has dedicated his career to criminal defence, with particular experience in sexual offence cases. Under his leadership, we combine non-judgemental advice with skilled representation, developing a defence strategy around the evidence and your individual circumstances.

Contact our Child Sexual Offence Solicitors for confidential advice about an investigation or police interview. Our team is available 24 hours a day for urgent police station representation.

How We Will Help You

Our first priority is to understand the allegation you face and advise you on how to respond. We represent you before and during police interviews, explaining the questions being raised about your alleged conduct and helping you make informed decisions about your account.

We establish what evidence could support your defence and identify enquiries relevant to the circumstances of the allegation. This may involve reconstructing events within a family or other setting where you had contact with the child. Where online communication is involved, we examine the surrounding exchanges so individual messages are considered in context.

We also help you address the immediate restrictions arising from an investigation. Bail conditions can affect contact with your own children or prevent you from returning home. We explain what the conditions permit and seek changes where there are proper grounds, while advising on any safeguarding concerns that affect your position.

As the investigation develops, we assess whether relevant evidence or legal arguments should be presented before a charging decision. Where material supporting your account has been overlooked, we can request further enquiries and make representations to the police or Crown Prosecution Service.

If proceedings follow, we build on that preparation to challenge the prosecution case and present your defence. Where a child gives evidence, we explain the arrangements for their testimony and work with counsel to ensure appropriate questioning addresses the disputed issues.

We keep you informed throughout and explain what each development means for you. When you instruct Draycott Browne, you will have:

  • Access to legal advice 24 hours a day
  • Advice on restrictions affecting your home and family life
  • Representation from police investigation through to court

Speak to our Child Sexual Offence Solicitors as early as possible. Call the number at the top of this page or complete our enquiry form to request a confidential call back.

Speak to an expert

Our legal team is available 7 days a week

Criminal Defence Expertise for Child Sexual Offences

Dedicated expertise for defending all allegations of child sexual offences.

Sexual Communication With a Child

Our Experienced Sexual Offence Team

Shaun Draycott

Shaun Draycott

Managing Director & Serious Crime Solicitor
Rob Mann

Rob Mann

Director & Serious Crime Solicitor
Venessa Schweitzer

Venessa Schweitzer

Consultant Litigator
Caitlin Cardwell

Caitlin Cardwell

Crown Court Litigator
Meet the Team

What Does the Law Define as a Child Sexual Offence?

Child sexual offences cover a range of conduct, including physical sexual activity, sexual communication and arranging or encouraging sexual activity involving a child. An offence can arise without physical contact. The main provisions are contained in the Sexual Offences Act 2003, with different legal requirements depending on the conduct alleged and the ages of those involved.

Sections 9 to 15A cover offences involving, or intended to involve, children under 16:

  • Section 9: Sexual activity with a child
  • Section 10: Causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity
  • Section 11: Engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child
  • Section 12: Causing a child to watch a sexual act
  • Section 13: Child sexual offences committed by a person under 18
  • Section 14: Arranging or facilitating a child sexual offence
  • Section 15: Meeting a child following sexual grooming
  • Section 15A: Sexual communication with a child

Sections 9 to 12 apply to defendants aged 18 or over. Section 13 covers corresponding conduct by someone under 18, while sections 15 and 15A also require an adult defendant. Section 14 can apply even where no actual child exists, such as an undercover operation.

Separate offences under sections 5 to 8 concern children under 13:

  • Section 5: Rape of a child under 13
  • Section 6: Assault of a child under 13 by penetration
  • Section 7: Sexual assault of a child under 13
  • Section 8: Causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity

Apparent consent or a mistaken belief about age does not provide a defence to these under-13 offences. For certain offences involving children aged 13 to 15, a reasonable belief that the child was 16 or over can be relevant, depending on the charge.

Other provisions protect children under 18 in particular circumstances. These include abuse of a legally defined position of trust under sections 16 to 24, offences involving specified family relationships under sections 25 to 27, and sexual exploitation offences under sections 47 to 50. 

The prosecution must prove each element of the particular offence charged. Our solicitors explain the relevant provisions and examine whether the evidence meets those requirements. Where an allegation concerns historical events, we establish which legislation applied when the conduct allegedly occurred.

What Are the Penalties for Child Sex Offences?

The penalty depends on the offence charged and the circumstances of the case. Some child sexual offences carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, but the statutory maximum is not the sentence automatically imposed following conviction.

Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003:

  • Rape and assault by penetration of a child under 13 carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
  • Sexual assault of a child under 13 carries a maximum of 14 years’ imprisonment.
  • Causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity carries a maximum of life imprisonment where specified penetrative activity is involved, or 14 years in other cases.
  • Sexual activity with a child and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity carry a maximum of 14 years’ imprisonment.
  • Sexual activity in the presence of a child and causing a child to watch a sexual act carry a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment.
  • Arranging or facilitating a child sexual offence carries a maximum of 14 years’ imprisonment.
  • Meeting a child following sexual grooming carries a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment.
  • Sexual communication with a child carries a maximum of two years’ imprisonment.

These are the maximum penalties for adult defendants convicted on indictment. Section 13, which concerns corresponding offences committed by someone under 18, carries a maximum of five years’ imprisonment on indictment. Different sentencing principles apply to children and young people. 

The court applies the relevant Sentencing Council guideline, assessing the defendant’s culpability and the harm caused or intended. Factors such as planning, grooming and abuse of trust can increase seriousness. The court also considers personal mitigation, relevant previous convictions and any applicable reduction for a guilty plea. 

A conviction can also result in notification requirements, commonly known as the sex offenders register, and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order where the legal conditions are met. These can have consequences extending beyond the sentence itself, including restrictions affecting contact with children or internet use. 

Our Child Sexual Offence Solicitors explain the sentencing position for your particular charge. Where a guilty plea or conviction leads to sentencing, we prepare mitigation and address any proposed order, ensuring the court considers the circumstances relevant to your case.

Specialist Child Sexual Offence Solicitors

  • 24/7 Availability
  • Proven Success in High Profile Cases
  • Non-Judgemental Representation Tailored to Your Situation

Protect your future with trusted, expert legal defence—contact Draycott Browne’s Child Sex Offence Lawyers today.

Get in Touch

24 Hour Availability

Child sexual offence allegations can arise without warning. You may be contacted unexpectedly by the police, asked to attend a voluntary interview or arrested and taken to a police station.

Draycott Browne is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide urgent legal advice and representation. If the police want to speak to you about an allegation involving a child, contact our Child Sexual Offence Solicitors before answering questions or attending an interview.

Funding Your Defence

Depending on your circumstances and the stage of your case, you may be eligible for financial support through the Legal Aid scheme. We can assess your eligibility and explain the funding options available when you first speak to us.

Private funding provides access to a more extensive level of service. This can be particularly important in child sexual offence cases where the allegations may depend on historical accounts, digital communications or conflicting evidence that requires detailed examination.

With greater flexibility, we can devote additional time to examining messages, digital evidence, medical material, historical records and other evidence relevant to your defence. We can also pursue further lines of enquiry and instruct appropriate experts where their input could assist your case.

For serious child sexual offence allegations, we recommend considering private funding where it is financially possible. It gives our team greater scope to investigate the circumstances thoroughly, test the evidence against you and identify material that may help challenge the allegation.

Speak to an expert

Our legal team is available 7 days a week

CTA Link Arrow

Contact our Child Sexual Offences Solicitors

If you are facing an allegation involving a child, getting specialist legal advice at the earliest opportunity can help protect your position and give you a clear understanding of what happens next. Our Child Sexual Offence Solicitors provide confidential advice and strategic legal defence from the first police contact through to court proceedings.

At Draycott Browne, our solicitors have extensive experience defending serious sexual offence allegations. We understand the sensitive nature of these cases and the importance of carefully examining the evidence before deciding how an allegation should be challenged.

Our criminal solicitors represent clients throughout England and Wales including Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and London. Every case is approached with discretion, technical expertise and a determination to secure the best possible outcome for the individual we represent.

You do not have to wait until you have been charged to seek legal advice. If you have been contacted by the police, invited to an interview or arrested in connection with a child sexual offence allegation, our legal team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Contact our Child Sexual Offence Solicitors today for confidential legal advice and immediate representation if you are facing an investigation or police interview.

Frequently Asked Questions for Child Sexual Offences

Yes. A conviction can be based on witness testimony without medical, forensic or other independent evidence. However, the prosecution must still prove the offence beyond reasonable doubt, and the reliability of the account can be challenged.

Not automatically. The police will investigate why the allegation has been withdrawn, and the CPS will assess whether a prosecution can still proceed. Withdrawal does not by itself establish that the allegation was false.

Adult defendants do not generally have an automatic right to anonymity in sexual offence proceedings. Your name can usually be reported after charge, although restrictions may apply where reporting would identify the complainant or where other legal protections apply.

Yes, potentially on an enhanced DBS check. Relevant police information can be disclosed even without a conviction if the police consider that it ought to be included. An allegation is not automatically disclosed simply because it was investigated.

Yes. Children’s services can make safeguarding enquiries while a criminal investigation is ongoing, without waiting for a charge or conviction. Their assessment concerns the child’s safety and is separate from the decision about whether to prosecute.

Please Get in Touch

We are ready to assist.